Tiraspol, December 10. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Chisinau needs to be scrupulous about the negotiations and start fulfilling its obligations, if the Moldovan political quarters desire an early settlement of the conflict. At the same time, all attempts to unilaterally destroy the peacekeeping structure don’t have a positive perspectives and are associated with an escalation of the conflict. Such opinion was expressed by the PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev in an interview with the Politika Segodnya news agency.
He reminded, that the status of the Russian forces, without division into peacekeepers and the Operational Group of Russian Forces, was determined by the basic ceasefire agreement signed with the Moldova involvement on July 21, 1992, as well as other agreements. The normalization of relations with Pridnestrovie is the only peaceful way for Moldova to resolve the issue without violating the contractual basis and without creating any suppositions for the tension escalation.
“If the Moldovan political quarters desire an early settlement of the conflict, it’s necessary to treat the negotiations more responsibly, fulfilling the obligations, undertaken by Moldova both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the international 5 + 2 format. It should be reminded, that at that moment on the conference-table there is an extensive complex agenda and many of its issues haven’t been resolved due to Chisinau’s refusal to fulfill agreements, signed in 2016-2018,” the head of the diplomatic department noted.
According to Vitaly Ignatiev, the statements of the RM elected President Maia Sandu about the necessity of withdrawing the Russian peacekeepers and changing the peacekeeping format to a civilian mission doesn’t come as something unexpected.
“Such statements have been regularly voiced for many years by various Moldova’s representatives, who in this way exert constant pressure on the peacekeeping process. However, it’s the peacekeepers who have been creating the necessary conditions for a peaceful dialogue for over 28 years,” the minister said.
He reminded, that the peacekeeping operation on the Dniester was recognized by everyone as stable and effective. In addition to the three contingents of Russia, Pridnestrovie and Moldova, military observers from Ukraine have been participating in its work for more than 20 years, and representatives of the OSCE Mission also attend all regular meetings of the governing body, the Joint Control Commission.
“Today there are no objective preconditions for the so-called peacekeeping mechanism transformation. Because of the operation prospects square with the primary achievement of the final and comprehensive settlement of the conflict in all fundamental international treaties,” Vitaly Ignatiev concluded.
